When the Malawian government introduced a policy of free primary education in 1994, school enrolments soared from 1.9 million to about 3 million. This massive surge has placed severe constraints on the financing of the primary school system. How can Malawi deliver universal primary education? Where will it find the new teachers it needs?

The demand for increased teacher training provision in Malawi is greater than ever. Only around 1,000 students proceed to university education each year so new teachers have been recruited largely from unqualified staff. Researchers from the universities of Malawi and Sussex have examined whether the Malawi teacher education system will be able to meet the government’s commitment.

The Malawi Integrated In-Service Teacher Education Project (MIITEP) was created to train 18,000 teachers from 1997 to 2000. It is currently the only means of training new primary teachers, most of whom lack a secondary education. Despite certain limitations, MIITEP provides more teachers at a lower cost than conventional full-time teacher training programmes.

After producing three cohorts of trained teachers, MIITEP was effectively suspended amid uncertainties about future funding. However the issues were resolved and the remaining three cohorts completed their course. Another three cohorts were enrolled but followed a modified MIITEP taking on board recommendations from various evaluations.

The Ministry of Education’s aim to increase transition from primary to secondary education from 10 to 30 percent may prompt some MIITEP primary school trainees to transfer to the secondary system. Meanwhile the attrition rate due to HIV has not yet peaked so it seems likely that demand for teachers will remain high and the target primary school pupil:teacher ratio of 60:1 will not be achieved.

The study has also found that:

• Over 7,500 new teachers are needed each year to meet the government's education commitments.
• Staff levels in teacher training colleges are falling while half of those still employed are approaching retirement.
• Teacher training college infrastructure is under-funded and lacks maintenance, equipment and teaching materials.
• School-based supervision and support for trainees is expensive, inconsistently arranged and of questionable value.
• Assessments and final examinations do not always reflect MIITEP desired outcomes.

Policy implications for the Malawi education sector include:

• devising a consistent medium-term strategy for the training system to develop in a sustainable way
• choosing between the goals of quantity and quality in teacher training methods
• agreeing co-financing arrangements between the Ministry of Education and its partners to ensure predictable flows of external finance
• re-examining current funding practice to eliminate bottlenecks and unrealistic allocations
• giving top priority to the future of teacher training colleges and the training of a new generation of college lecturers
• evaluating and modifying the assessment strategy and the system of field support.

Source(s):
‘Malawi: A Baseline Study of the Teacher Education System’, MUSTER Discussion Paper 5, Centre for International Education, Institute of Education, University of Sussex, by D. Kunje and J. Chimombo, 1999 Full document.
‘The Costs and Financing of Teacher Education in Malawi’, MUSTER Discussion Paper 2, Centre for International Education, Institute of Education, University of Sussex, by D. Kunje and K. Lewin, 2000 Full document.

Funded by: DFID (Education)

id21 Research Highlight: 14 March 2002

Further Information:
Demis Kunje
Centre for Education Research and Training
Chancellor College
University of Malawi
PO Box 280
Zomba
Malawi

Tel: +2 (65) 524 490
Fax: +2 (65) 525 061
Contact the contributor: dkunje@chirunga.sdnp.org.mw

Other related links:
'Teacher education first – reform for gender equity in Malawian schools'

The World Bank focuses on Effective Schools and Teachers

The International Institute for Education Planning reports from UNESCO

See the Eldis Education Resource Guide for further links